Reply to If you don't join and/or volunteer in your school's PTA, please explain why

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Reply to "If you don't join and/or volunteer in your school's PTA, please explain why"

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[quote=Anonymous]I have been heavily involved in the Parent-Teacher organization at my child's preschool for the past two years, serving as a committee chair for the past year and as a room parent for the past two. I have decided to limit my participation in this, her final year, and here's why.

I am not a joiner by nature, but really wanted to be involved in my child's school because I think it's important. I found our school's equivalent of a PTA to be very exclusive. It welcomed new members, but made them feel like an outsider by never explaining anything to newcomers. I asked a lot of questions and eventually became comfortable, so took on additional duties. However, the school and the PTA make it difficult to volunteer. Information is always kept within PTA channels, whether intentional or not, so parents who do not participate were rarely informed. When volunteer opportunities did arise, notices went out so late that unless you dropped everything and scrambled, or were part of the PTA, so were already in the know and had it on your calendar, the notification was just not adequate. There was never enough transparency. Only the PTA chair seemed to know the finances and how the money was being spent. And perhaps the most egregious was that the PTA was not the collaboration it was billed to be. Parents donated their time and their money to the school, but the administration was dismissive of parents' concerns when they were brought to the PTA table.

While I will continue to participate in outreach activities such as food drives (I feel these are worthwhile activities) and some fundraising events such as restaurant nights (anything to get out of cooking dinner!), provided there is ample notice, I do not plan to volunteer anywhere close to the amount of time I have in the past. Yes, I work full time and have a lengthy commute. I'm a wife, a mother, a homeowner. And I deal with some significant health issues. Even with all of that on my plate, I was still willing to help out. But the dismissive attitude of the school really turned me off. Why do I want to spend what little free time and energy I have raising funds for staff bonuses and teacher appreciation events (where the majority of our raised funds go) when the school is dismissive to parents' concerns. No, thank you![/quote]

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